TRIUMPH SCRAMBLER

The team at Down & Out Cafe Racers have had a busy summer since they took over a large chunk of floor space at the BSMC Event III in May, has it really been that long already?! Shaun has a precedent of building bikes he likes, for himself and if he keeps them, fine and if he sells them, that’s fine too. So this Triumph Scrambler is not only a break from their usual BMW fare but a chance to work on newer machinery. A one owner bike with a paltry 800 miles on the clock languished in the workshop all summer, awaiting a fettle.

Standard isn’t Shaun’s bag so without tearing the bike to pieces, he had to hold back from a full on custom job and choose components that would compliment the work already carried out by the boys from Hinkley. The overhanging rear end is one area that always needs attention on a Scrambler so he started there by binning the standard mudguard, chopping the subframe and fitting a more svelte unit.

A Koso tacho and electronic speedo unit allows for clear decks up front, with the ignition being relocated under the fuel tank courtesy of an LSL unit. Being able to produce components in batches, to the same dimensions and quality every time is a real bonus with budgets and margins as tight as they are in the custom scene, so a headlight with bespoke stainless steel brackets was plucked right off the shelf in D&O parts department. Mini alloy LEDs are serve a second function, to bolt the headlight to the mounts, neat.

Shorter side panels and front mudguard do their bit to reduce the standard Scrambler’s lardy physique. Stainless spokes laced to black-powdered rims look the business with Heidenau’s venerable K60 Scouts wrapped around them. Ripping through the city or a dirty weekend, Heidenau seem to offer a choice of rubber to suit most sizes.

Shaun was tempted to bend and exhaust from scratch but decided that the Zard unit, made in Italy, looked just right and sounded perfect and compliment the offbeat 270˚ firing order of the Scrambler twin.

According to the Down & Out website Shaun’s sausage fingers might not be able to hold a TiG torch still enough to execute the small and neat welds on the headlight brackets, so I presume Carl took care of fabricating these. The plastic brake fluid reservoir has been swapped for a billet LSL version, much smarter. Whilst on the phone a pair of their foot pegs were ordered.

Around 4 inches were lopped off the seat to keep proportions looking like they were designed for folk this side of the Atlantic, yet still leaving room to carry crumpet. Another set of mini alloy LED indicators nearly disappear when not illuminated. YSS shockers are properly made, look good and offer much improved damping over standard.

The fuel tank is the handiwork of Arny at Pro Customs, who laid down coats of flat gold. The lack of lacquer doesn’t reduce the lustre though, (say that after a few beers), with the colour holding its own and looking awesome against the blacks and greys of engine and componentry. A custom alloy cap, in matt, crowns the work nicely. Earlier Scramblers had lacquered outer engine cases which can chip and go milky over time, plus they look cheap, so on this bike a rough finish silver-grey powder coat has been applied and gives a more up to date look.

The team at Down & Out offer top notch workmanship and can build more or less anything you like, just as long as it meets with Shaun’s approval.

Thanks to Simon for taking pretty pictures. …Oh, and if you really like this one.